Inflatable kite with releasable accessory

ABSTRACT

AN INFLATABLE KITE, DESIGNED TO SIMULATE A ROCKET. THE KITE HAS A VARIABLE DIHEDRAL ANGLE FOR SELF-STABILIZATION. AN ACCESSORY NOSE CONE, MOUNTED ON THE TOP OF THE KITE WITH A PARACHUTE ATTACHED TO THE NOSE CONE, IS RELEASABLE BY THE OPERATOR SO THAT IT PARACHUTES TO THE GROUND TO SIMULATE A SPACE VEHICLE COMMAND MODULE.

y 23, 1972 o. B. JOHNSTON 3,664,613

INFLATABLE KITE WITH RELEASABLE ACCEBSORY Filed Nov. 25, 1970 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent 3,664,613 INFLATABLE KITE WITH RELEASABLE ACCESSORYOrin B. Johnston, 5548 W. 78th St., Minneapolis, Minn. 55435 Filed Nov.25, 1970, Ser. No. 92,641

Int. Cl. A63h 27/0 US. Cl. 244-155 R 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREAn inflatable kite, designed to simulate a rocket. The kite has avariable dihedral angle for self-stabilization. An accessory nose cone,mounted on the top of the kite with a parachute attached to the nosecone, is releasable by the operator so that it parachutes to the groundto simulate a space vehicle command module.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to kites andparticularly to inflatable kites to be inflated with air or alighter-than-air gas. More particularly it relates to an inflatable kitewhose shape is not intended to be held relatively rigid in flight byreason of being inflated but is intended to provide flexibility betweeneach of a right and left inflated Wing relative to a central housingprovided a variable dihedral angle. The design permits the operator torelease a nose cone attached to the nose of the kite and having aparachute rigged thereto so that upon release it parachutes to theground simulating the reentry of a space vehicle command module.

Historically, kites have been made of paper or plastic stretched over awooden frame. This configuration has made them diflicult to store andsubject to easy breakage in flight. Disadvantages of this type wereintended to be overcome by inflatable kites such as that described inU.S. Pat. No. 2,486,158. The shape of the inflatable kite depends uponit being inflated and therefore when deflated, the inflatable kite iscapable of being folded and stored in a very small volume, reducing thepossibility of damage while in storage. Further, the inflatable kite istypically made of a light, durable plastic which is capable ofwithstanding impact from other objects when the kite is in flight.

Inflatatable kites however, have depended upon rigidity of shape inflight, such shape being kept rigid by the trapped air or other gas.This rigidity of shape results in a kite which has a tendency towardinstability. My kite, because of the variable dihedral angle, is capableof selfstabilization.

Also in the case of both the frame-type kite and the inflatable kite,communication with the kite by the operator is desirable. For example,sending notes to the kite via the kite string is typically done. Theability to release a simulated command module is much more sophisticatedand therefore a highly-desirable feature.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The inflatable kite to which thisinvention relates has a center or body portion which is generallycylindricalshaped when inflated tapering gradually at the approximatelyupper third portion to a smaller top diameter. Attached to the centralportion is a right wing and a left wing, mirror images of each other,each having an air passage at the top end connected to the body and eachhaving an air passage at the bottom end connected to the body so thatthe wings and the body can be inflated from one point. The wings arealso connected to the body by means of a web extending from the top airconnection to the bottom air connection on each side.

The wings are quite large in cross section, being approximately doublethe diameter of the central portion, or body. The air passages arerelatively small. The air pressure is equalized throughout the kite andthus the small diameter passages remain very flexible so that the wingsare readily movable with respect to the body. The angle that the wingmakes with the body is the dihedral angle which is then continuously andautomatically adjustable in flight.

The operator, by the simple expedient of pulling a string, is able toeffect the release of a simulated space vehicle command module to whicha parachute is rigged. Upon release, the simulated command module isparachuted to earth. The simulated senvice module remains in place atthe top of the kite.

'In the preferred embodiment, the kite is made of a thin polyethylenefilm having between 5 /2 and 6 percent ethyl vinyl acetate (*EVA). TheEVA adds to the elasticity of the polyethelene film and it also tends tomake it more free of pinholes. The particular polyethelene used also isheat-sealable, a useful characteristic in the manufacturing process.

Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide an inflatable kitewith an accessory to which a parachute is connected, releasable from theground.

Another object of this invention is to provide a winged, inflatable kitewith a continuous and automatic adjustable dihedral angle forself-stabilization.

Another object is to provide a kite of durable material, able towithstand impacts with other objects in flight and impact with theground upon landing.

Another object is to provide an inflatable kite of very light materialso that it is readily buoyant when filled with air or. lighter-than-airgas.

Still another object is to provide an inflatable kite that is readilydeflatable and when deflated is easy to fold for packaging, storage orshipping.

These and other objects will become more apparent in the descriptionthat follows:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of thekite in flight, with the nose cone accessory in place and a tailinstalled. There is also a perspective view of the parachute, inphantom, carrying the nose cone to the ground just after release fromthe kite.

FIG. 2 is an exploded bottom plan view.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the kite taken along the line 3-3 of FIG.1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 illustrates the kite 1 inflight with a tail 27 attached. The central body portion 2 resembles arocket body to which is attached right wing 3 and left wing 4. Righthand top port 8 and right hand lower port 10 together with the righthand web 20 connect right wing 3 to the central body portion 2. In likemanner, left hand top port 9 and left hand lower port 11, together withleft hand web 21 connect left wing 4 to the central body portion 2. Thegenerally cylindrical central body portion 2 has a tapered section 7 atthe top. A generally hollowedout cylinder 5 (service module) fits overthe tapered portion 7 of the central body portion 2. A nose coneaccessory 6 (command module) fits into the hollow cylinder 5 and theparachute 13 is shown folded in place and connected to cylinder 5 by wayof the elastic band 15. A release cord 16 is fastened to elastic band15. The parachute 13, the parachute rigging 14 and the accessory nosecone 6 are shown in phantom in FIG. 1 to illustrate the appearanceshortly after release from the main kite 1. The top lines 22 and thelower lines 23 are all connected together at the adjustable lead loop 17at one end and at the other are each attached to a separate lineconnector 24 (see FIG. 2). The operating cord 12 is connected to thelead loop 17 at one end and is held by the operator at the other. Tail27 is made up of a plurality of strips of sheet material, tied at eachend to resemble rocket exhaust. It is secured to the kite at inflatingtube 18.

With reference to FIG. 2, the inflating tube 18 can be more clearly seenand the plug 19 for the inflating tube is shown in place. A right handwing seam 25 and a left hand wing seam 26 are also shown in FIG. 2. FIG.2 illustrates the relationship of hollow cylinder 5 to the taperedportion 7 of the central body portion 2 and the relationship of the noseaccessory 6.

FIG. 3 is a cross section of the kite illustrating the relationship ofan upper sheet of gas impervious material 28 and a lower sheet of gasimpervious material 29. They are sealed together at right wing seam 25and left wing seam 26 and at right hand web 20 and left hand web 21.

MODE OF OPERATION The kite is inflated with air or :gas through thefiller pipe 18, the gas inflating the central body portion 2 and flowinginto the ports 8, 9, 10 and 11 inflating them and passing into the wings3 and 4 inflating them. The parachute 13 is folded and laid alongside ofthe cylinder 5 and fastened with the elastic band 15. The nose cone 6 ispartially inserted into the cylinder 5.

If desired, a tail 27 may be attached to the filler tube 18 or to thefillter tube plug 19 which is inserted into the filler tube to preventleakage of the gas. The kite is made airborne in a conventional fashionwith the operator holding onto the operating cord 12 and also therelease cord 16. When it is desired to release the nose cone accessory6, the operator pulls on release cord 16 which in turn stretches theelastic band 15. This action causes a deflection of the tapered portion7 resulting in the elastic band slipping off the top of tapered portion7. Parachute 13 is therefore released, pulling nose cone 6 out ofcylinder 5. Parachute 13 then carries nose cone 6 to the ground.

What is claimed is:

1. An inflatable kite, formed of similarly configured sheets of gasimpervious material, secured together along their outer matching edgesand along internal edges to provide a hollow central body portion and aright and left hollow wing, the improvement comprising:

(a) a flexible web between the body portion and the right wing and aflexible web between the body portion and the left wing to provide avariable dihedral angle for each of the right and left wings,

(b) a nose cone accessory, detachably mounted at the top of the bodyportion,

(0) a parachute rigged to the nose cone accessory and detachably mountedto the top of the body portion, and

(d) means for releasing the nose cone accessory and the parachute,operable from the ground, to permit the nose cone accessory to parachuteto the ground.

2. The kite of claim 1 further comprising:

(e) a filler tube, attached to the central body portion through whichair or lighter-than-air gas is passed to inflate the kite, and

(f) at least one port between the body portion and each of the rightwing and the left wing to permit inflation of the wings through thefiller tube.

. 3. The kite of claim 2 further comprising:

(g) a right upper port and a left upper port between the upper edge ofthe right and left wing respectively and the body portion, and

(h) a right lower portion and a left lower port between the lower edgeof the right and left wing respectively and the body portion, the portsbeing of such dimension that the wings resist excessively rapid changesin their respective dihedral angles.

4. The kite of claim 3 further comprising:

(i) nose cone holding means, generally cylindrical in shape, to fit overthe upper end of the body portion and into which the nose cone accessoryis at least partially inserted.

5. The kite of claim 4 wherein the releasing means further comprise:

(j) an elastic band to secure the parachute to the nose cone holdingmeans, and

(k) a cord, secured to the elastic band, for stretching and removing theelastic band freeing the parachute which in turn removes the nose coneaccessory.

6. The kite of claim 5, further comprising:

(1) a tether,

(m) adjusting means, connected to the tether,

(u) an adjustable rigging comprised of four lines secured to the kiteand to the adjusting means, the adjusting means providing variablelengths of the lines of the shroud permitting change of the pitchattitude, and

(o) a tail section, connected to the filler tube, intended to resemblerocket exhaust.

, References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,464,720 3/1949 Rose 244l R2,950,887 8/1960 Hidding 244 R 2,960,298 11/1960 Jones 244--153 R3,092,359 6/1963 Pohl 244154 3,093,354 6/1963 Pohl 244154 DUANE A.REGER, Primary Examiner P. E. SAUBERER, Assistant Examiner 37 33UNI'JTEK) STATES PATENT OFFICE CEFLKHFICATE OF CORREQTION Patent N3,664,613 Dated May 23, 1972 Inventor(s) Orin B. Johnston It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid LcttersvPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4, line 15, "portion" should be port-.

Signed and sealed this 3rd day of October 19?":

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Commissioner of PatentsAttesting Officer

